Peak holiday periods such as Easter, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and post-Christmas sales represent billions in revenue to retailers in the UK. However, new research from cloud and managed hosting firm Cogeco Peer 1 found that four in ten UK retailers continue to experience downtime during such peaks.

Last year, peak holiday periods boosted the British economy by over £7billion (US$9billion). However, many retailers' tech infrastructure struggled and 40% of retailers experienced downtime during peak periods.

"Tech is an underpinning element to the success of all online retail brands today. Deciding when to make an upgrade is critical. Struggles during Easter can be a powerful indicator that this technology is creaking under the strain and holding retailers back during the biggest spending weekends of the year," said Susan Bowen, Vice President and General Manager, EMEA at Cogeco Peer 1.

The research, which involved more than 100 ecommerce decision makers in the UK, revealed that more than half (58%) admitted to having faced website speed issues during last year's peak period. Just under half (48%) do not feel ready for the seasonal peaks they will face this year.

It's a tough question, but retailers all over the country need to ask themselves now, whether the tech infrastructure they are using is fit for purpose and whether it can support them through 2017's seasonal shopping peaks," said Bowen.